CCW Podcast

"That was the last straw." "I've had as much as I can handle." "I'm at the end of the rope." Have you ever felt what these phrases convey? In 1 Kings 19, Elijah, the mighty prophet of God gets to that point. He is on the run - running from Jezebel, running from God, and running on empty. I love this passage because if Elijah can get to that point it encourag...

Have you ever gone through a dry time physically, emotionally, or spiritually? Elijah, Ahab, and all of Israel had been 42 months without a droplet of rain, but why? Deuteronomy 11:16-17 explains it clearly, "If you turn away to other gods, The Lord's anger will be kindled and he will shut up the Heavens so that it will not rain." Talk about dry. We need and desire the hand of God f...

Elijah strikes before the challenge commences with a cutting interrogation and provocation in I Kings 18:21, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God follow Him, but if Baal, follow him." It sounds so simple, but problematically here we are two thousand years later and the nation, the country, the state, the homes falter between two opinions. What ensues from th...

When the brook dried up, God instructed Elijah to go back into Zarephath (Name Meaning: Smelting furnace), where God would provide for him in another unexpected way. Elijah goes from the drying brook to the refiner's furnace. God commands a poor widow who had an emaciating son and barely any food to spare to sustain Elijah. We are shown in this passage how in life threatening adversity Elijah...

In I Kings 17 we are introduced to Elijah, an unknown man headed to an unknown place sent by God to learn how to trust God in practice. Are you practicing trusting God on the drive, at the table, and in the quiet? Standing on the mountain and experiencing the glory of God begins by standing with God in the everyday.

2024 is here and this Sunday is VISION SUNDAY!! In a moment of great, purposeful clarity in 3 of the 4 gospels Jesus journeys with Peter, James, and John, to go and STAND on the MOUNTAIN. In this fascinating passage the disciples behold the brilliance of the glory of God as Jesus reveals His deity, and then out of nowhere, Elijah and Moses appear and speak to Jesus. In Moses's and Elijah&apos...

This week we celebrate the last Sunday of 2023! New Year’s Eve! Next week starts a brand new year is Vision Sunday. Pastor Rick is going to communicate the vision he has for CCW for 2024. Before we do that, we are going to take a few minutes on New Year’s Eve to talk about focus. If you’re out of focus, the vision won’t mean that much to you.

Merry Christmas CCW Family! It is vital to pause and reflect on the real basis we celebrate today. Let’s recognize that this is an extraordinary day foremost because of the birth of the Savior of the world! It is because of this day that one day we who believe will have the greatest gift: eternity with Jesus in Heaven! "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government w...

This week we will be looking at Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. You have probably heard the song “Mary Did You Know?” but no one ever asked Joseph. He had a hard choice: marry an already pregnant woman or leave her and the baby to fend for themselves. Joseph wanted to walk away but God had other plans, and so, in a Holy nap, God sent an angel to speak the truth to him. Joseph, being a just ma...

In Luke 1:26-56, we see this virgin teenage girl's call to carry the Christ-child. Can you even imagine? Mary was heavenly accepted, highly afraid, and ultimately, honored to assist in the service of the most important person of all time.

If you've lived any amount of time, you have come to know that life is full of tests and in the test of faith our allegiance is shown through ultimate surrender. This Sunday Pastor Rick's message is from Genesis 22 entitled "The Isaac Test."

Daniel chapter 6 contains one of the most prominent and legendary stories in all of the Bible. It is a chapter full of life lessons as Daniel faces a certain execution by the pride of Babylon (pun intended) and gloriously beholds the protection of Almighty God! What do you do when you're faced with the Den?

Belshazzar rises to power in Babylon and instead of learning, he, like his predecessors, is living for his own glory and the next party. In his heedless administration he is faced with the Hand Of God.

What is the greatest need of the church? What would happen if everyone in our church would commit to prayer? What has God done in the past for a people who pray? Spurgeon said “Prayer is the engine room of the church.” What power will we experience if we would just pray? Join us to hear the message, “Supplication of the Surrendered”

What a tremendous Harvest Jam weekend we had! There were over 2,100 people on campus Saturday and Sunday between Harvest Jam, Friend Day, and Upward Soccer. I am so thankful for God's open doors to reach our community and for a church family who serves so graciously. You guys are AWESOME! In Daniel 4, we may finally receive resolution to the spiritual roller coaster, that is King Nebuchadnezz...

One of the most audacious verses in the Bible is Daniel 3:17-18, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." Whew!!! What boldness!! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego show us a...

I love Daniel 's praise in Daniel 2:21-23, "And He changes the times and the season, He removes Kings, and raises up Kings. He gives wisdom and knowledge. I thank you and praise you." Someone who receives this might need to hear today God is in control! God is sovereign, using the righteous and the evil in the world to align things for good. God controlled the events in Daniel'...

The first six chapters of Daniel describe the events that follow as Daniel and his three friends are seized and selected for service to a foreign King. Daniel and his friends purposed to live for God, defying the odds under the influence of four ungodly Kings and Kingdoms. The stories described in these chapters are inspiring examples for us of living a courageous christian life in a sin-filled wo...

Have you ever received an exciting message and you just couldn't wait to share it? The type of message that made you stop whatever you were doing to make a call, send a text, or even go meet a friend? What a feeling to get good news! I've got Good News, and so do you, if you have a relationship with Jesus Christ! The word Gospel means "Good News." It never ends with us receivin...

In John 17:20-23, Jesus prayed for unity: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; t...

What does it mean to be a disciple? Is the term antiquated - only reasonable for Jesus's own personal entourage that were the original witnesses of the work at the cross of Christ? Is it a catchy idea that refers to a church program or study? The Great Commisson is every Christian's mission. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands: "Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations." In...

Do you like to lift weights? I love to lift weights! I have had an on and off relationship with lifting weights since I was 11 years old. There is a feeling of accomplishment when something is very heavy and you have defeated it by lifting it; you show that weight just who's the boss. Well...In Exodus 17, Moses is called to hold a rod in his hand, and as long as he could hold out that rod, Is...

In Acts 2 we see the inception and progression of the Church. Have you ever wondered what took place to form the early Church? In Acts 2, we get a history of the rudimentary structure of church. A synopsis of Acts 2:42-47: People were saved and baptized then they devoted themselves to the Word of God, fellowship, breaking bread, praying, giving, and praising daily in the temple and from house to h...

It may sound trite, but it’s never a faulty plan to ask, “WWJD?” Jesus was involved in evangelism, discipleship, serving, and CHURCH. So what would Jesus do in terms of church? He’d go to church! Many scriptures tell us that Jesus regularly went to the synagogue, the local area for worship and learning. He didn’t just go to church, He was involved at the synagogue - fervently reading Scripture, te...

God could have said or done a myriad of things upon the completion of creation, but what He did say was found in Genesis 2:24, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Marriage and the family are the very first foundational institutions of God for society, for community, for church, and for His Glory. It is so importa...